An animal owner could face hefty charges after he left his pet in a hot vehicle while he ran errands. Sources tell TLS, at about 2:30 PM this afternoon, a man left his dog in a locked car unattended in a parking lot for close to 25 minutes, until Lakewood police arrived.
After waiting around the vehicle for several minutes for the owner, officers unlocked the vehicle to free the dog.
After the vehicle was opened, the owner showed up, and so did Animal Control.
According to the MVC’s website, owners of animals that are left behind in hot cars can face criminal charges that carry up to 6 months in jail and/or $1,000 in fines.
“If dogs are supposed to be man’s best friends, then man should be more responsible for all of the friends in his car,” MVC Chairman and Chief Administrator Raymond P. Martinez said in a recent Press Release.
It’s unknown if the man will be charged. TLS-MK/TLS-CCP.
serious questions: how come I never see a Jewish person with a dog?
# 1 – Not common in NY / NJ…usually no space / patience / exposure to pets …. in other areas in the USA a little more common…. we had several dogs growing up out of town….
Thanks Anon.
To Christian:
Our saintly sages taught us that one that has a dog at home, doesn’t have “fear of God”. You may not understand the connection, however, our sages we’re experts in the field of understanding the lord and if that’s what they told us, then for us it’s a given.
I have a dog and I’m Jewish btw and um I always leave her in the car with the window open is that not okay. ?
We were all taught commen sense as children, at least most were. If u have enough commen sense as an adult, you would be smart enough to know that when it’s as hot has it’s been, YOU DON’T TAKE YOUR DOG ON ERRANDS AND LEAVE THEM IN THE CAR! I’m not gonna apoligize for stupidy.
That’s more than what you get for leaving you child in the car.
Gotta love New Jersey laws.
wonder why he’ll be charged while others have not been
I have a dog and also always leave him in the car with the windows open. He always has enough water and air.
Ehrliche Yid- Please tell us where that is written…… If its from our saintly sages it must be written someplace you can reference!
Dear “Ehrliche Yid”,
You completely made up that quote. There is no such Chazal whatsoever! Please do your research before writing.
Why don’t you sit in your hot car with the window open a crack for a few minutes and then re-think your question.. Of course it’s not ok! If you wouldn’t leave a child to bake in your car, why would you do the same to a defenseless animal you have a responsibility to?!
leaving an animal in a car is the same thing as leaving a baby in a car. they’re both living creatures and have the same needs. if you simply can’t take the animal with you out of the car, then don’t take the animal in the car in the first place.
thank goodness i have a house cat i can leave at home with fresh food and water and not have to worry about her getting overheated. it’s not that i’m being boastful about the issue. i’m just saying that if you make your choice to have an animal or more in your life, you have to make it your responsibility to take care of them.
Stop the antisemitism, plz! Leaving an animal or a child in a hot car are equally as wrong. A jew is not allowed to do leave a dog in a hot car because it may put the dog in danger- this according to the Torah is the issur of tzar baalei chayim.
Thank G-D its not against any law to leave children in an air conditioned car while running a quick errand. I hope the lakewood police dept has educated its officers of NJ laws, we would not want to cause stress to very busy parents by having to deal with police.
Please tell me you are kidding. You cannot leave a child unattended in a car period. Its called neglect.
6 months in jail and/or $1,000 in fines for leaving a dog in locked car. What do people get when they forget their children in a locked car and they have to be saved, a pat on the back and a statement of ” It’s okay just don’t do it again”. This has to be one of the most comical things I’ve read so far on the scoop.
Leaving a dog in a HOT car is wrong, it is not even close to leaving a child in a HOT car. If one cannot see the difference between ones dog and ones child. . .
As I read all the comments on this story it is so pathetic how there is such a breakdown of communication and that no one is making the least bit sense. One guy is discussing the ‘saintly sages’ while the next person is talking about his cat and then the mother who leaves her child in the car and then its on to anti semitism and then you have the topic of tzaar balei chaim and everything else in between…..
#1 The real answer why (most) jews dont have a dog is – at least thats my view, with nice size families that we have and are grateful for, life is busy enough and when in some cases both parents work to keep up with tuition (remember children in our community don’t go to public school – even though we pay for it) and other bills, as such I find it hard to imagine how most of us would have the time to attend to a dog.
You seem to have it very clear how wrong it is to leave a living creature in a hot vehicle. And yes,dogs are different than children as far as being able to be left unattended. But do you realize that up to a certain age, children can NEVER be left alone no matter how long and how cool the tempurature is? Your first post seems to imply otherwise. Please rethink.
I am the owner of a dog and i never leave her in the car, i leave her home in the comfort of her own surroundings, there is no reason to bring her on errands, the only time she is out in the car is when she is going to the vet or to get groomed, and for her little walks, she is 16 yrs young. I even would never leave my father (may he rest in peace) in a hot car when I would run an errand, he was 97. there is no reason in the world to leave anything in a hot car, not even ice cream.
To #1. Jewish people don’t have dogs because they have kids. They don’t have time to be busy raising animals in their house.
To Normal busy parent. Leaving a child unattended is still neglect even if the air is on. Children need constant supervision to make sure they don’t get into any trouble. Children sitting in a car that is on with the keys in the ignation is very dangerous. G-d forbid the children got the car into drive and hurt themselves or other bystanders. In addition you can get a fine for idling (leaving a parked car running). Although I am not sure the what that ticket costs.
To Ehrliche Yid:
Ehrliche, perhaps, sechel, NOT!!! Du mainst az an ainoi-yehudi farshteist fun a chazal!?! Vos iz mit eich?
To Chaim:
Ehrliche is absolutely correct that some commentators say this (note the link below). But to you and all others who question the validity of the statement whether one can or cannot own a dog, as with any other halachic discussion, why use this forum to discuss it?
Thank G-D, TLS is a means where Jews and non-Jews alike are afforded the opportunity to share their opinions. But why quote mamarei chazal which makes it quite difficult for many to decipher; especially when they are unfamiliar with the dictates and nuances of the Talmud etc.?
Whatever…
At any rate, check out this link:
http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/english/halacha/jachter_1.htm
my neighbor who lives a few doors down who is jewish has animals, her mother worked for a vet, she had a dog, and birds, hamsters, fish, and children who took care of them. my other neighbor has animals also and is jewish. I do not understand that all jewish people do not have animals, when my neighbor does. by the way i am jewish and i have a dog, and a huge fish tank.
the picture of the dog strapped into a dog car seat, that’s not the picture of the dog that was left in the car. I would never strap my dog like that at all. I harness my dog a little differently, that’s just cruel.
To Reb Rambo,
I read the link and it clearly states that the Shulchan Aruch and ALL Achronim hold one is permitted to own a non-dangerous dog, except for one Achron.
And that, Chaim, was exactly my intention – to get you off the Internet and learn a shtickel Torah!
Spread the blog
And by a dog
But don’t leave it in the car
For it will certainly char
The picture accompanying this article is inappropriate and not in good taste.
I grew up with dogs as pets. We had a large back yard with ample room for the dog to run around. However, many Lakewood families, especially the ones in town houses, do not have adequate room to keep dogs. More over, many families do not have the time or finances to keep a dog properly. Vets are expensive. There are many families who have birds, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles and aquariums.
Jewish People do have dogs just not so much in the lakewood community where everyone is religous. Dogs are great but just like children you have to have te time, love and money to take care of your pet. if a dog has to be left in a car crack the windows at least but a child should never be left alone even for a second!
#4 I don’t understand what you just said. It was a bunch of nonsense.